9
UDavida LoMefibhoshethi
1 UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kambe angabe ekhona yini osaseleyo endlini kaSawuli engingabonakalisa umusa wami kuye ngenxa kaJonathani na?”
2 Ngalesosikhathi kwakulenceku yendlu kaSawuli eyayithiwa nguZibha. Bambiza ukuba abonane loDavida, inkosi yasisithi kuye, “Wena unguye uZibha na?”
Waphendula wathi, “Yimi inceku yakho.”
3 Inkosi yabuza yathi, “Kakho yini osaseleyo endlini kaSawuli engingabonakalisa kuye umusa kaNkulunkulu na?”
UZibha wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Isesekhona indodana kaJonathani; igogekile inyawo zombili.”
4 Inkosi yabuza yathi, “Ungaphi?”
UZibha waphendula wathi, “Usendlini kaMakhiri indodana ka-Amiyeli eLo-Debhari.”
5 Ngakho inkosi uDavida wathumela ukuba ayethathwa eLo-Debhari endlini kaMakhiri indodana ka-Amiyeli.
6 Kwathi uMefibhoshethi indodana kaJonathani, indodana kaSawuli, esefikile kuDavida, wakhothamela phansi emhlonipha.
UDavida wasesithi, “Mefibhoshethi!”
Waphendula wathi, “Yimi inceku yakho.”
7 UDavida wathi kuye, “Ungesabi, ngoba impela ngizakutshengisa umusa ngenxa kayihlo uJonathani. Ngizawubuyisela kuwe wonke umhlaba owawungokayihlomkhulu uSawuli, njalo wena uzakudla etafuleni lami kokuphela.”
8 UMefibhoshethi wakhothama wathi, “Inceku yakho iyini na, ukuba unake inja efileyo njengami nje?”
9 UDavida wabiza uZibha, inceku kaSawuli, wathi kuye, “Indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho sengiyinike konke okwakungokuka Sawuli labendlu yakhe. 10 Wena lamadodana akho lezinceku zakho lizamlimela amasimu lilethe amabele ukuze indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho ibe lokudla. Njalo uMefibhoshethi indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho, izakudla etafuleni lami kokuphela.” (UZibha lo wayelamadodana alitshumi lanhlanu kanye lezinceku ezingamatshumi amabili.)
11 UZibha wasesithi enkosini, “Inceku yakho izakwenza loba kuyini umhlekazi wami inkosi elaya inceku yayo ukuba ikwenze.” Ngakho uMefibhoshethi wadla etafuleni likaDavida njengomunye wamadodana enkosi.
12 UMefibhoshethi wayelendodana esengumfanyana eyayithiwa nguMikha, njalo bonke abendlu kaZibha babezinceku zikaMefibhoshethi. 13 Njalo uMefibhoshethi wayehlala eJerusalema, edlela etafuleni lenkosi kokuphela, njalo egogekile inyawo zombili.